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Formex is Scandinavia’s leading fair for design and interiors. Of course Swedish Association of Designers attended at the event August 27-30. Here we are, happy board members, gathering in our stand for a group photo.
Standing from left: Anna Bonnevier, Daniel Byström, Hanna Ydremark, Ulf Berlin, Mattias Svensson, Katarina Brieditis and Gottfried Gemzell. Sitting: Nina Back-Sundström, Anneli Pettersson and Lotta Ahlvar.

It´s Sunday August 16. I am in Berlin, at historical ground – the Olympic Stadium. The World Championships in Athletics. In just a few minutes Usain Bolt will break the 100 metres world record. He’s about to doing the ”impossible”. But everyone know – the ”impossible” is possible. The expectations are high. But no one expected 9,58.

Usain Bolt and I have the same motto. Anything is possible! That’s what I have in mind in my everyday creative profession, and that’s also the reality for the fastest man on earth. 9 seconds and 58 hundredths. That’s insane. That’s inspiring…

It’s summer in Sweden which means holidays. In Sweden most people take five weeks off, spending their time together with friends and families, doing a holiday trip by boat or with the caravan. Tourists are coming in droves, both swedes and from abroad. This is for sure the most important time at the year for the tourism business.

Observing this carousel spinning is interesting and fascinating, all the commerce, big sales, drinks, foods, campers, festivals, partying. It’s a nice time of the year! But it’s also a bit thought-provoking. What happens?! What’s making all this people gathering at the same spot at the same time? Where does everybody come from?! And the biggest question of them all; what is it about this casual holiday “fashion”, “Foppa”-slippers, tube socks and shorts?

Tourism, experience industry and community design, I have done a lot of work within these areas, it’s very interesting. How can design contribute in developing cities, communities and places to visit, to be more accessible and also sustainable? Here are some links with useful information and statistics; Drivkrafter för nya näringar, Upplevelseindustrin, Kommundesign, The Tourist Year in Sweden 2008

My perfect holiday is inspiring – relaxing, quiet and easy – close to the sea to cool off, and to the beer when I get thirsty. That’s where I am at this very moment. And the work? Just couldn’t stay away from it, so I brought it! So, when the ideas are coming to you while resting in the hammock or on the beach, feel free to contact me…

Enjoy the summer! /Daniel

During 22 of Mars to 4 of April I was participating in the City Move Interdesign in Gellivare, Sweden. Read more about the outcomes and result on this link from ICSID’s homepage.

Picture showing me and my groupmembers. From left Mr Nils Tvengsberg – Mexico/Norway, Rita Engler – Brasil, Sara Tunheden – Sweden, Daniel Byström – Sweden (me), Filippo Salustri – Canada and finally Widianto Utomo – Indonesia. Together we were ”the magenta goup”.

Instead of focusing on moving a city, our group focused on Citizens in Movement. Our findings dealed with how the people of Gellivare/Malmberget can get included and engaged in the moving process, and also engaging as well as forcing the municipality and LKAB to take a larger responsability. A united vision of tomorrow can create a positive spirit, and make the people moving forward together.

If you are interested, you can read more about the outcome from our group on this blog.

Wednesday 27.5 the Swedish Association of Designers (Sveriges designer) had their annual meeting in Stockholm.

When selecting the new board I was one of the nominated. Of course I accepted the offer. I feel very honored and excited to contribute. The position gives an opportunity to influence in the organization, it also gives new interesting contacts. 

The Swedish Association of Designers is a trade organization for professional designers based in Sweden. Members of the organization are from following areas: Fashion Design, Furniture Design, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Interactive Design, Product Design, Textile Design, Web design. The Swedish Association of Designers is also member of Beda and Icsid.

Investigations show that design has a sustained strong position, and that the extent of using design has increased. It is clearly a growing market for design, but also a growing understanding on how design can be applied amongst companies, business organizations and the Swedish government.

The meeting was held at a really nice site in Gamla stan, the design studio Ohlssonsmith. After all the formalities we gathered on the top of the roof for ecological wine and snacks in the sunset. Very romantic!

Lotta Ahlvar, Tomas Seo and Claes Frössen in the sun…

Design Sydost is a business network, aiming to unite the design competence in south east of Sweden. It is an interaction between different design disciplines, companies, education and organizations dealing with growth and development issues in the region. Design Sydost provides information about design services; answering questions on what it is, how to do and where to find it.

I have been taking a big part coordinating Design Sydost from the beginning after an open invitation to the design competence in the region last year. The project is supported by The Regional Council in Kalmar County and the European Union, and connected to Swedish Industrial Design Foundation, The Swedish Society of Crafts and Design and The Swedish Association of Designers. More information about Design Sydost can be found on www.designsydost.se.

As a part of the activities within Design Sydost, a large meeting recently was taking place in Eksjö.  On the 15th of May me, and the design strategist Erik Mohlin, organized, Design Småland 09. The program included very interesting speakers. Jesper Ståhl, founder and owner of Jesper Design in Jönköping, introduced us in their working process and very exciting cases. Marcus Arvonen, from IKEA Design Department, told us the story about his beautiful lamp ”Maskros” and the work behind it. Jonas Pettersson and John Löfgren från Form us with Love showed us their work and also Stina Sandwall from Sandwall Design. The final act was from Håkan Waxegård, the founder of Hultsfredsfestivalen, revealing new music festival projects involving design.

After the meeting the group visited Eksjö Museum and the contemporary design exhibition coordinated by Erik Mohlin. Very nice!

Jonas and John from Form Us With Love

Håkan Waxegård and Erik Mohlin

This Wednesday I visited Lammhult Design Group and Abstracta. I did a lecture on design and creativity for a small group of Entrepreneurs, Innovators and people from Almi Business Partner. It was very inspirating to meet all of them, sharing thoughts about business development and strategic design.

Lammhult is a nice spot in the  Kingdom of Furnitures. When traveling there you’ll see a lot of Småland, beautiful landscapes, traditional Swedish houses red with white corners, and a lots of wood. Specially extraordinary in this time on the year.

During the visit we had a short tour to the manufacturing plant. On the picture below our host Thomas is showing the really nice Airflake design by Stefan Borselius. It’s an absorbing screen made from molded fiber felt.

Ok, it´s only the second time – I know, but anyway, I would like to think of it as a tradition. What? The annual Design Sydost Meeting for design in southeast of Sweden of course! Last year we gathered in the beautiful summer town Västervik (my home town). This year Design Sydost invites everyone to Eksjö in the heart of Småland, to the city of wood.

The program includes interesting speakers with diversified backgrounds. The theme will be Innovation, Identity and Design. First out is Jesper Ståhl, industrial designer and manager for Jesper Design in Jönköping, to be followed up by Marcus Arvonen, from IKEA Design Department, the designer trio Form Us With Love and finally Stina Sandwall furniture designer.

Furthermore it will be information from the designer business network Design Sydost, telling about the development and the future plans. Fiesta Eksjö will explain what happens when ”Music Sweden meets Design Småland”. The day will end up with a visit to the furniture design exhibition Design Småland 09, showing some master pieces from the province of Småland (not only Ikea).

So, what are you waiting for? Enter today! Don’t miss this opportunity to mingle with design collegues and design connected competence from southeast of Sweden. Meet old friends and get to know new ones!

For you who wants to stay in town, Fiesta Eksjö has organized rock at the stadshotellet from 20.00 – performance by no one less but the Perssons Pack!

Of course the arrangement is free. Find the invitation, program and map below.

Welcome!

When? Friday, May 15th 2009, 09.30-16.00
Where? Eksjö Högskolecenter, Kaserngatan 24, ITOLV
Enter: Mail daniel@bystromdesign.se or e.mohlin@home.se
Info: Arrangement is free of charge.

Questions phone Daniel Byström 0739 13 38 95 or Erik Mohlin 070 511 38 88

designsmaland09_inbjudan

designsmaland09_program

After two weeks on ICSID interdesign in Lapland in the north of Sweden, I’m now back catching up the ordinary work. It has really been interesting collaborating with other designers, architects, engineers and experts from all over the world.  I have met a lot of new friends that I’ll keep in touch with and visit.

The project of transforming Malmberget and Gellivare has deeply engaged me. Specially when meeting the community and all the thoughts, visions and ideas. But also from understanding the needs and the problems, from the municipality, LKAB and the inhabitants.  It is a very important project, with complex problems to be solved. The work has just begun…

It has also been a visit filled with experiences;  the visit to LKAB and the  mine 1000 m below ground, Aitik with the open pit and the giant machines, the sami storytelling under a starlit sky, the visit to the icehotel, the skiing and of course – the fantastic food!!!

I want to thank everyone responsible for making this two weeks to some of the most memorable in my life…

In the long run, the result of the workshop will be used as a base for City Move Innovation Center, where Swedish and international specialists can exchange knowledge and experiences. Read more about City Move Interdesign here.